A new study shows that bats may help prevent cancer. The data may show how humans may be able to treat and prevent viruses as well, such as cancer. Bats are known to fight and survive infections. They are also able to avoid cancer, and that success is in their genes. They have low cancer rates, strong immune systems, and are also able to live long lives. The bat’s immune system allows them to tolerate viral infections and researchers may be able to prevent outbreaks from animals to people. 

Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other body parts. Cancer can start in any part of the body and is made up of a bunch of cells.  Usually, human cells grow and multiply to form new cells as the body needs them but when cells grow old the body doesn’t need them anymore so they die and new cells can take their place. Cancer tumors spread into nearby tissue and can travel through the blood or lymph system. Cancer can hurt and prevent organ function which can result in death. 

Bats’ immune system is adapted to tolerate viruses. In a paper “published in Genome Biology and Evolution”, researchers used the Oxford Nano technologies long-read platforms and bat samples to sequence the genomes of two bat species. The two bat species used were the Jamaican fruit bat and the Mesoamerican mustached bat. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers carried out the genomic analysis with a diverse gathering of bats and other mammals. The researchers found six DNA repair-related proteins and 46 cancer-related proteins in bats. This means that they have found previous proteins in bats such as suppressing cancer. They are continuing to find extraordinary new adaptations in antiviral and anticancer genes. These are the first steps of the unique biology of bats in understanding and treating cancer in humans.